I had a lesson lastnight, although my guy had been off since last week (tossed a shoe so was on stall rest) but got reset Monday so was turned out Tuesday, Wednesday. I decided if he's going to be a bit crazy, why not have the instructor there anyways, right? lol

We had the whole arena so we were doing a lot of "going large" stuff, surpentines, etc, but nothing excessive and after a few minutes of being a little "peppy" he settled down nicely and I stopped for a sec to take my sweater off. When I set off again, we were going to start some sitting trot...and his whole back end just went waaayyy off...we went large and he looked to work out of it but something was still there -- I then had my sis ride so I could see and it was almost like he was "hopping" with his back end...didn't look good.

We took him in, there is no heat in his legs...it looks like it could be something higher up, but no clues. He did have his vaccs Monday too but it was on his other side (from where he looked more "off" at the trot)...does anyone have some educated guesses as to what this could be??? Could he have just strained something? It's just so weird b/c he was working for about 20 minutes with absolutely no sign of anything, we stop for a minute, and he's totally off! Today he still seems fine at the walk but he wasn't turned out...going to try him at a hand-trot tonight to see if anything's still there -- keep you posted... (sorry so long)

Tossing a shoe then being confined to stall rest on top of vaccinations could all be problems. Stall rest can cause lactic acid build up in the hind end and vaccinations would react with that build up.. Without looking at him I would say it would be the same side as his injection. Watch him trot away from you in a straight line to tell.

Keep him moving and even do some stretching with him and he should be fine in a few days unless it is something bigger.

Melanie
www.healthyhooves.ca

perhaps it could be a muscle tying-up issue? he warmed up but when you stopped it was enough time for something to lock up in his back that caused him to be off. This is just a speculation but it sounds like a muscle issue more than a joint issue if he was fine at the beginning.

I do agree -- he's had a lot going on the last few days so I can see how it could be a combination of a few things... :S

Just also want to note that he only has front shoes, which were reset and his hind were not trimmed this time (slooowwww growth).

Sorry this may be off topic!! So Sorry if it is
We have a 3 yr old quarter horse at home. That did not even need his hind feet trimmed in the summer cause he was only shawed on the front and his back feet were not growing. Our ferrier only could file his hind feet!
So were told to get hind shoes this year
OH . and he went lame when he would loose a show and get re-set! But hes a big whimp! lol

A lack of growth could be a number of this...magnesium deficiency or other mineral absorption problems, lack of movement and contracted hooves will all cause no growth. If you horse is lame without shoes you have bigger problems than slow growth. The shoes would be covering up a bigger problems your horse has. Putting shoes on will not help grow more hoof.

Melanie
www.healthyhooves.ca